I will do Paddington Here and Now (169 pages - already have in my Paddington file from before) and
The Littles Go To School.
With Paddington Here and Now, each chapter is approximately 20-25 pages. Would it be ok to assign one chapter a week (7 weeks of reading)? Or should I try to have them do 2 chapters a week? (3-4 weeks of reading) Either way, I could rotate books every 2 weeks.
One book of Encyclopedia Brown (2 weeks=5 chapters a week)
Paddington Bear (2 weeks=1 chapter a week?)
One book of the Littles (2 weeks=split story in half for each week)
用三到七周的时间完成Paddington Here and Now 这本书；
两周完成一本Encyclopedia Brown；
两周完成一本The Littles Go To School.
Soon after vacation began, he had opened his own detective business. He wanted to help others.
Children seeking help of every kind came to his office in the Brown garage. Encyclopedia handled each case himself. The terms of his business were clearly stated on the sign that hung just outside the garage door.
One morning Speedy Flanagan, the shortest fast-ball pitcher in the Idaville Little League, walked into the Brown Detective Agency. He wore a face longer than the last day of school.
"I need help," he said, side-arming twenty-five cents onto the gasoline can beside Encyclopedia. "What do you know about Browning?"
"Nothing. I've never browned," replied Encyclopedia. "But once at the beach I tanned something awful, and --"
"I mean Robert Browning," said Speedy.
"The English poet?"
"No, no," said Speedy. "The American League pitcher, Robert Spike Browning."
Even Encyclopedia's Aunt Bessie knew of Spike Browning. He was the ace of the New York Yankees' pitching staff.
"What do you want to know about him?" asked Encyclopedia.
"Do you know what his handwriting looks like?" asked Speedy. "I made a bet with Bugs Meany -- my bat against his -- that Bugs couldn't get Spike Browning to buy a secret pitch for a hundred dollars."
"Whoa!" cried Encyclopedia. "If I understand you, Bugs bet he could sell Spike Browning a special way to throw a baseball?"
"Right. Bugs and his father were in New York City the last week in June," said Speedy. "Bugs says he sold Spike Browning his cross-eyed special."
"You'd better explain," said Encyclopedia.
"The pitcher crosses his eyes whenever there are runners on first and third bases," said Speedy. "That way nobody knows where he's looking -- whether he's going to throw to first base, third base, or home plate. The runners don't dare take a lead. The secret is how the pitcher can throw the ball someplace while staring himself in the eye. Bugs sold the secret. He has a letter from Spike Browning and a check for one hundred dollars!"
"Phew!" said Encyclopedia. "I understand you now. You figure Bugs wrote the letter and the check himself to win the bet and your bat. So do I! Let's go see Bugs."
Bugs Meany was the leader of the Tigers, a gang of older boys who caused more trouble than itching
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PADDINGTON HERE AND NOW
PARKING PROBLEMS
“My shopping basket on wheels has been towed
away!” exclaimed Paddington hotly.
He gazed at the spot where he had left it before
going into the cut-price grocer’s in the Portobello
Market. In all the years he had lived in London
such a thing had never happened to him before, and
he could hardly believe his eyes. But if he thought
1
staring at the empty space was going to make it
reappear, he was doomed to disappointment.
“It’s coming to something if a young bear gent
can’t leave ’is shopping basket unattended for five
minutes while ’e’s going about ’is business,” said
one of the stall holders who normally supplied
Paddington with vegetables when he was out
shopping for the Brown family.“I don’t know what
the world’s coming to.”
“There’s no give and take anymore,” agreed a
man at the next stall. “It’s all take and no give.
They’ll be towing us away next, you mark my
words.”
“You should have left a note on it saying ‘Back
in five minutes,’” said a third one.
“Fat lot of good that would have done,” said
another. “They don’t give you five seconds these
days, let alone five minutes.”
Paddington was a popular figure in the market,
and by now a small crowd of sympathizers had
begun to gather. Although he was known to drive
a hard bargain, he was much respected by the
traders. Receiving his business was regarded by
many as being something of an honor—on a par
with having a sign saying they were by appointment
to a member of the royal family.
“The foreman of the truck said it was in the way
of his vehicle,” said a lady who had witnessed the
event. “They were trying to get behind a car they
wanted to tow away.”
“But my buns were in it,” said Paddington.
“‘Were’ is probably the right word,” replied the
lady. “I daresay even now they’re parked in some
side street or other wolfing them down. Driving
those great big tow-away trucks of theirs must give
them an appetite.”
“I don’t know what Mr. Gruber is going to say
when he hears,” said Paddington. “They were
meant for our elevenses.”
“Look on the bright side,” said another lady. “At
least you’ve still got your suitcase with you. The
basket could have been clamped.That would have
cost you eighty pounds to get it undone.”
“And you would have to hang about half the day
before they got around to doing it,” agreed
another.